Alex & Co.

Alex & Co.
Genre	Situation comedy Teen comedy
Created by	Marina Efron Versiglia
Starring	Leonardo Cecchi Beatrice Vendramin Eleonora Gaggero Federico Russo Saul Nanni
Theme music composer	Federica Camba Daniele Coro Enrico Sibilla
Opening theme	"Music Speaks"
Country of origin	Italy
Original language(s)	Italian
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	51 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Nadia Grippiolo Lucio Wilson
Producer(s)	Piero Crispino
Camera setup	Videotape Single-camera
Running time	22 minutes (episode)
Production company(s)	The Walt Disney Company Italy 3Zero2
Distributor	Disney Channel Italy
Release
Original network	Disney Channel Italy
Picture format	1080i (HDTV)
Audio format	Stereo
Original release	May 11, 2015 (2015-05-11)
External links
Official website

Alex & Co. is an Italian sitcom that premiered on Disney Channel Italy on May 11, 2015. The sitcom is directed by Claudio Norza, and tells the story of five friends beginning their first year of high school.

The series premiered in Italy on May 11, 2015 and the first season ended on May 27, 2015. The second season debuted on September 27, 2015 and ended on November 2015.

On January 30, 2016, Disney Channel confirmed that the series would air for a third season.

Summary

Season 1

The series tells the story of Alex, a smart, brave, and well-intentioned teenager who starts high school at the Melsher Institute along with his childhood friends: Nicole, a sensitive girl who is secretly in love with Alex; and Christian, an athlete who is popular with girls. They quickly become friends with shy student Sam, and an attractive girl named Emma – for whom Alex instantly falls in love. They also make the acquaintance of Linda and her group of fake friends: Samantha, Rebecca, Tom, and Barto. Alex soon realizes that high school will not be the party he imagined. Headmaster Ferrari wants the institution to maintain its lead rank in academics, abandoning activities like music, singing, and acting. But Professor Belli, their literature teacher, encourages the students to follow their dreams.

Linda sends Alex and his friends to a forbidden part of the school, where the group discover a secret place in the basement; they decide to form a band called Sound Aloud, and in the following days upload a music video. This leads record producer Mr. Smith to discover the group and offer them an album deal – but only if Sam is left out. Headmaster Ferrari does not want his daughter Emma to sing, so Nicole takes her place to sing with Alex for a duet that Alex and Emma wrote. After a performance, Alex discovers he has feelings for Nicole – but is already in a relationship with Emma and doesn't want to destroy his friendship with Nicole.

At the end of the year, the Melsher Institute wins the academic race, and the principal organizes a year-end concert to raise money for Sam's scholarship. Shortly before the concert, Alex and Emma break up, allowing Alex and Nicole to be together. The concert is a success, and in addition to the sum raised by Belli, Headmaster Ferrari announces that they will have spaces to practice music and drama for the following year. In the end, Christian realizes he is in love with Emma while Alex's parents announce that they plan on moving to the United States.

Season 2

Summer is over and Alex's parents announce they are moving to the United States. Alex is not happy, and together with his older brother Joe and their friends, they try to stay. After time, Alex realizes he must move because his mother is ill, and decides to accompany her, but then discovers his mother is pregnant. Meanwhile, the Melsher Institute begins a new year and the group cannot wait to spend time together again. Rebecca and Sam realize they love each other, and become a couple.

The band decide to participate in The Talent, a talent show where they could win a recording contract and a European tour. They decide to change the name of the band to Alex & Co. Meanwhile, Linda and her friends form a band called The Lindas, and Linda's mother buys them a song from Mr. Smith who is one of the talent show's panelists. Sam discovers the deception and the group plan to reveal it to the creator of The Talent.

Tension among the members of Alex & Co. cause Alex and Nicole to have an on-and-off relationship, eventually reuniting as a couple. Emma and Christian also date, though a lie told by Linda causes them to break-up until Rebecca reveals the truth. Alex & Co. separate for some time, during which Alex is offered a solo recording contract. However, he chooses to bring the band back together. In the last episode, as Alex & Co. are about perform on stage, Joe announces to Alex that their mother is in labor and has given birth to a baby girl. After meeting his new baby sister, Alex performs "We Are One". The band reveals the deception of The Lindas, and Alex & Co. win The Talent. However, Nicole feels it wasn't the right way to win, and decides to leave the band and end her relationship with Alex.

Season 3

A new student named Clio arrives at the Melsher Institute, hiding a secret and having a troubled relationship with Alex. Emma's father is fired as Headmaster, leading to health problems for Emma that take her away from her dream, her friends, and boyfriend Christian. The album they were to record is jeopardized, but when things start going in the right direction a mysterious internet artist appears, altering the balance of the group.

Episodes

Main article: List of Alex & Co. episodes

Season		Episodes		Originally aired
				First aired	Last aired
	1	13		May 11, 2015 (2015-05-11)	May 27, 2015 (2015-05-27)
	2	18		September 27, 2015 (2015-09-27)	November 29, 2015 (2015-11-29)
	3	20		September 24, 2016 (2016-09-24)	February 18, 2017 (2017-02-18)

Cast and characters

Main characters

• Alex Leoni, played by Leonardo Cecchi.
  Fifteen years old at the start of the series, Alex is kind, intelligent, and always defends his friends. He tries to be helpful to those who rely on him. During the first days of high school, he falls in love with Emma, a young and beautiful classmate, who reciprocates his feelings. However, by the end of the school year, Alex realizes he does not have feelings for Emma, and he tries to build a strong relationship with Nicole instead.
• Nicole De Ponte, played by Eleonora Gaggero.
  Nicole is Alex's best friend of many years. She takes things very seriously and always tries to change what does not go well. She has a talent for singing and though initially ashamed to sing in public, she overcomes this during the series. During the summer (between seasons one and two), she realizes her feelings for Alex. After a difficult political battle with Linda, Nicole becomes the student president and the only person who does not fear Linda. Nicole becomes frustrated when she sees Emma and Alex together; however, she and Alex eventually begin a relationship.
• Emma Ferrari, played by Beatrice Vendramin.
  Emma is kind and loved by all for her beauty, and she is aware of it. Emma appears courageous and self-confident, but she needs constant approval from her friends. She conceals the fact that she is the daughter of Headmaster Ferrari. At the beginning of the series, Emma is in love with Alex, but she's later unsure of her feelings for him. Her great passion is singing: she likes the idea of forming a band with Alex and the others. In the second season she falls in love with Christian and the two date.
• Samuele "Sam" Costa, played by Federico Russo.
  Sam is a hardworking student, responsible but shy. He often gets high grades, and dreams of being admitted into one of the best universities. However, he does not have the financial resources, and therefore works part-time jobs to save money. During the series, he grows more courageous. At the end of season two, his friends organize a concert to raise funds for his scholarship. He also falls in love with Rebecca, feelings she reciprocates for him.
• Christian Alessi, played by Saul Nanni.
  The best friend of Alex since they were children. He is always cheerful, friendly and very nice but not a cocky guy. For a certain period of time, due to a leg injury caused by Tom, he is replaced by Tom as the football team captain. He is admired by all the girls, especially Linda, but does not want her as a girlfriend. He always gives advice on love. At the end of the first season, Christian writes a love song dedicated to Emma called "Impossible Love", and in season two they become a couple.

Recurring characters

• Linda Rossetti, played by Lucrezia Roberta Di Michele.
  She's considered the "queen" of the high school and is engaged to the former captain of the football team, Tom. Even so, she is in love with Christian, who does not reciprocate her feelings. She is always accompanied by Rebecca and Samantha and is feared by all. She attempts to sabotage Alex and his friends. In the second season, she forms a band, called "The Lindas", to compete against Alex and his friends.
• Tom, played by Daniele Rampello.
  Although only in his second year, Tom is already the leader and former captain of the football team. He is the nemesis of Alex and his friends, and, helped by Barto and Linda, attempts to undermine them in several ways. Christian especially hates Tom, after he wins the captain's armband on the football team and after seeing him kiss Linda. When Tom realizes that his love for Linda is not reciprocated, he leaves her.
• Rebecca, played by Giulia Guerrini.
  Rebecca is Linda's best friend and the second-most popular girl in the school. She replies "absolutely" to every statement by Linda. In the second season, she discovers her great singing voice. She also falls in love with Sam, who tutors her to improve her grades. He writes a song about the love story shared by her and Sam, and they end up performing it together. Sam tells Rebecca that Linda and her mother bought a song from Mr. Smith to win The Talent competition.
• Samantha, played by Asia Corvino.
  Samantha is pretty, but stupid and not clever. She loves shoes and the color pink. No one understands why she is Linda's friend. She always agrees with Linda, responding with "of course" to all Linda's statements.
• Barto, played by Anis Romdhane.
  He is the school bully and Tom's best friend. He is not interested in studying and prefers using violence and threats. His sole purpose is to satisfy his 'boss', Tom. In the second season of the series, he is in the same class as Alex and his friends. Barto conceives a plan to make Emma fall in love with him and leave her current boyfriend, Christian, because Tom and Linda asked him to do so. He eventually falls in love with Emma but it is not mutual.
• David, played by Jacopo Coleschi.
  David appears in the second season of the series and is the assistant teacher of a new course at the school. He falls in love with Nicole and the two almost kiss.
• Jody, the host of The Talent played by Jody Cecchetto.
  Jody appears in the second season as the host of The Talent talent show, in which the characters compete.

Teachers

• Principal Augusto Ferrari, played by Roberto Citran.
  He is the headmaster of the Melsher Institute and Emma's father. He is very strict and does not approve of non-academic activities in the school. He is very angry when he learns that Emma is in a band, but by the end of the first season understands the importance of music and is proud of his daughter.
• Nina, played by Debora Villa.
  She is the caretaker of the school. She behaves quite girlishly, but still assumes responsibilities. She always helps the boys in sensitive issues.
• Professor "Scorpion" Strozzi, played by Nicola Stravalaci.
  A professors of the Melsher Institute, he is very strict and demanding, and nicknamed "Scorpion" by his students. In the second season, when Victoria Williams becomes the school's new owner, he takes the position of principal from Ferrari.
• Professor Giovanni Belli, played by Michele Cesari.
  He is the professor of literature and a former student of the Melsher Institute. Unlike all the other professors, he is much more fun and understanding of the students, and loves music. The principal thinks that his teaching methods are too "alternative", but the boys understand his lessons well. In the second season it turns out that he had a relationship with Linda's mother, Victoria Williams, and he fears that he might be her father.

Alex's Family

• Mom of Alex (Elena Leoni), played by Elena Lietti.
  She is demanding and caring, and warm and supportive of Alex. She does not understand the importance of a musical career for her son until a meeting with a record company. In the second season, she finds herself pregnant.
• Dad of Alex (Mr. Leoni), played by Massimiliano Magrini.
  Like his wife, he is very demanding of Alex. Although he initially does not understand the importance of his son's band and prefers his son to attend college, he later understands Alex's passion for music.
• Joe Leoni, played by Enrico Oetiker.
  He is Alex's older brother of 20 years, and has a special, supportive relationship with Alex. He attends college and has received many awards. In the second season, Alex helps him get engaged to Lara, Joe's fellow graduate student, played by Diletta Innocenti Fagni.

Nicole's Family

• Mom of Nicole (Mrs. De Ponte), played by Sara Ricci.
• Dad of Nicole (Mr. De Ponte), played by Riccardo Festa.

Christian's Family

• Mom of Christian (Ms. Alessi), played by Linda Collini.
• Dad of Christian (Mr. Alessi), played by Jgor Barbazza.

Sam's Family

• Grandma of Sam, played by Gabriella Franchini.
  She loves her grandson and is proud of him when she realizes that he is part of a band, which means he is growing more confident. She supports him in everything he does.

Linda's Family

• Victoria Williams (mother of Linda), played by Chiara Iezzi Cohen.
  She appears in the second season as the new owner of the school. She had an affair with Giovanni Belli, now a professor at Melsher Institute, 15 years prior.

Music

The series has nine original songs as of November 2015. "Music Speaks" is used as the theme song for the series, an instrumental version in season one, and as performed by the cast in season two.

Season 1

1. "Music Speaks" – theme song of the series, sung by Sound Aloud (who will become Alex & Co. in the second season)
2. "All the While" – sung by Leonardo Cecchi and Eleonora Gaggero (Alex and Nicole)

Season 2

1. "We Are One" – sung by Alex & Co.
2. "Likewise" – sung by Giulia Guerrini and Federico Russo (Rebecca and Sam)
3. "Unbelievable" – sung by Alex & Co.
4. "Oh My Gloss!" – sung by The Lindas (Lucrezia Di Michele, Giulia Guerrini, and Asia Corvino)
5. "Truth or Dare" – sung by Alex & Co.
6. "Music Speaks" (special version) – sung by Carola Campagna
7. "We Are One" (special version) – sung by Carola Campagna

Season 3

1. "Nobody" – sung by Leonardo Cecchi
2. "Welcome To Your Show" – sung by the Band

Soundtrack album

The first album from the series, titled We Are One, was released on January 29, 2016 in Italy. It consists of songs from the first and second seasons.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Music Speaks" (Leonardo Cecchi, Eleonora Gaggero, Beatrice Vendramin, Saul Nanni & Federico Russo)	Federica Camba, Daniele Coro & Enrico Sibilla	3:06
2.	"All the While" (Leonardo Cecchi & Eleonora Gaggero)	Federica Camba, Daniele Coro & Enrico Sibilla	3:34
3.	"Unbelievable" (Leonardo Cecchi, Eleonora Gaggero, Beatrice Vendramin, Saul Nanni & Federico Russo)	Federica Camba, Daniele Coro & Enrico Sibilla	3:55
4.	"Truth or Dare" (Leonardo Cecchi, Eleonora Gaggero, Beatrice Vendramin, Saul Nanni & Federico Russo)	Gaetano Cappa	3:12
5.	"We Are One" (Leonardo Cecchi, Eleonora Gaggero, Beatrice Vendramin, Saul Nanni & Federico Russo)	Federica Camba, Daniele Coro & Enrico Sibilla	3:32
6.	"Likewise" (Giulia Guerrini & Federico Russo)	Federica Camba, Daniele Coro & Enrico Sibilla	3:47
7.	"Oh My Gloss!" (Lucrezia di Michele, Giulia Guerrini & Asia Corvino)	Gaetano Cappa & Salvatore Iorio	3:23
8.	"Incredibile" (Leonardo Cecchi & Beatrice Vendramin)		3:55
9.	"Music Speaks" (Remix) (Leonardo Cecchi, Eleonora Gaggero, Beatrice Vendramin, Saul Nanni & Federico Russo)		3:33
10.	"Wake Up" (The Vamps)		3:13

Broadcast

The first promo of the series was released on February 2, 2015. Another promo, broadcast Monday, April 20, announced the debut of the series on May 11, 2015. The first season of 13 episodes was broadcast from May 11 to May 27, 2015. After the end of the last episode of the first season, a promo announced the second season, which began broadcast on September 27, 2015 and ended November 29, 2015.

There is an English-language version of the series being broadcast in Middle Eastern regions, Nordic countries, Czechia, Hungary and South Africa.

Audience

Since the series debuted in Italy on May 11, 2015, it has been broadcast recurrently. The final episode of the first season aired on May 27, 2015, and reached peaks of 250,000 viewers, of which 150,000 were children aged 4 to 16 years, and 120,000 were girls aged 8 to 16 years.